


Evening Plans

by alyyks



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, GFY, Gen, Mentioned Obi-Wan Kenobi, palpatine is a creep no matter the universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 15:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyyks/pseuds/alyyks
Summary: “Please don’t make me socialize.”“I haven’t said anything yet.”





	Evening Plans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tuntekorpp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuntekorpp/gifts).



> A very brief primer on this ‘verse created about a million years ago: Obi-Wan, Maul and Padmé share an apartment while going to the same Galactic University. They are all in the nebulous Law/Politics/Diplomacy branch of things while still having distinct courses from each other. The Jedi are a cultural/religious order, Palpatine is an bigwig of something in previously mentioned nebulous Law/Politics/Diplomacy branch of things. Then my sib requested it as a prompt. 
> 
> Previously on tumblr, now cleaned up, and betaed by Saphsaq (thank you so much!)

“Please don’t make me socialize.”

“I haven’t said anything yet,” Padmé said, hand hovering over the frame of the open door for a knock that was now not needed. 

“You have a meet-and-greet, you usually grab Obi-Wan for those, and he’s not there. Go alone,” Maul told her from his desk, his back to her. She could see crumbled colored post-its and several opened textbooks, his right arm moving like he was writing. All three shared the habit of writing their drafts by hand rather than on datapads, something her friend Sabé had called antiquated to their faces more than once. Padmé looked at it as one more way in which she, Obi-Wan and Maul made good roommates. 

Padmé took a couple steps into Maul’s room. “I get Obi-Wan to come with me because he enjoys them…enjoys bitching about them, but still. And you’ve been holed up in here for three days. Come out, get some sun, and some food that hasn’t been in the freezer for the past six months.”

“There’s nothing wrong with frozen food,” Maul replied. He still hadn’t looked at her, had continued writing.

“The point about getting you out of here still stand.” She was close enough to wrap her arms around his shoulders if she wanted. The trick, with Maul, was figuring out if the gesture would be met by rigid muscles and a stony, nonverbal rejection, or if he’d melt in the touch and cling back.

Padmé thought even he didn’t know ahead of time.

This close, she could look over his shoulder and see his notes—the 401 lecture on Intergalactic Trade Laws, from all rumors passing through the University’s halls a punishing, demanding course. She couldn’t put a name on the teacher, though she was sure she had met her at one of Palpatine’s events. The man liked to show off his protégés, and her and Maul were his latest shining gems. While Palpatine’s soirées and luncheons were excellent networking opportunities, especially in their chosen fields of study and future work, they were a little too pointed toward certain ways of thinking and behaving. Hence her regular meet-and-greets with people far from Palpatine’s closer circles. Hence her trying to get Maul to come with her, on top of her friend and flatmate really needing a break.

It was true that her plus one of choice was usually Obi-Wan—he’d be a great diplomat one day, he had all the makings of one. He also had the backing of his family and of the philosophical and religious Order he belonged to. Maul, however—in the three years she had known him and the year and a half her and Obi-Wan had shared an apartment with him, he had mentioned no-one aside from Palpatine as a reference and backer.

She wrapped her arms around her brilliant and stubborn friend.

He stopped writing and sighed. “Is this revenge for accidentally pouring caf on Sabé?”

“She can take her own revenge if she so desires.” She paused. “However, you might want to wait another couple of weeks before going near the corridors of the Justice department.”

He didn’t move away from her touch. She took that as a good thing. They breathed in sync after only a moment, his slightly cooler skin smooth against her cheek.

“I need to finish this,” he finally said.

She moved, her hands lingering on his shoulders for a bit. “Can I really not convince you to come with me?”

“No, you can’t.” He stretched his arms above his head, glancing at her. “What are you going to do?”

“Senator Bail Antilles of Alderaan is in system, and he’s speaking at the Tal'kerac Museum. Limited seating.”

“Still no. But thank you for the offer.” She was almost at the door when he said: “If Count Dooku of Serenno or Representative Mina Bontieri are speaking sometimes, I’d be interested.”

He was back to his draft and post-its when she turned. She smiled. “I’ll keep it in mind.”


End file.
